XVII. ASHI YAST.

Ashi Vanguhi or 'the good Ashi 1' is a feminine impersonation of piety 2, and she is, at the same time, the source of all the good and riches that are connected with piety 3. She is described, therefore, as a goddess of Fortune and Wealth, and is invoked in company with Pârendi, the goddess of Treasures (Sîrôzah 25).

She appears in the latter character in the first part of the Yast (§§ 1-14); she praises and loves Zarathustra (§§ 15-21). She is worshipped by Haosyangha (§ 26), Yima (§ 28), Thraêtaona (§33), Haoma (§ 37), Husravah (§ 41), Zarathustra (§ 45), and Vîstâspa (§ 49) 4. She rejects the offerings of all sterile people (old men, courtezans, and children, §§ 53-61).

I.

1. We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high, tall-formed, well worthy of sacrifice, with a loud-sounding chariot, strong, welfare-giving, healing, with fulness of intellect 5, and powerful;

2. The daughter of Ahura Mazda, the sister of the Amesha-Spentas, who endows all the

[paragraph continues] Saoshyants 1 with the enlivening intelligence; she also brings heavenly wisdom at her wish, and comes to help him who invokes her from near and him who invokes her from afar, and worships her with offerings of libations.

3 2. For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard; I will offer up unto Ashi Vanguhi a good sacrifice with an offering of libations. We sacrifice unto Ashi Vanguhi with the libations; with the Haoma and meat, with the baresma, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy spells, with the words, with the deeds, with the libations, and with the rightly-spoken words.

Yênhê hâtãm: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda . . . .

II.

4. We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high, tall-formed, well worthy of sacrifice, with a loud-sounding chariot, strong, welfare-giving, healing, with fulness of intellect, and powerful.

unto those men whom thou dost follow, O Ashi! Full of perfumes is the house in which the good, powerful Ashi Vanguhi puts her . . . . 1 feet, for long friendship.

7. Those men whom thou dost attend, O Ashi! are kings of kingdoms, that are rich in horses, with large tributes, with snorting horses, sounding chariots, flashing swords, rich in aliments and in stores of food 2; well-scented where the beds are spread and full of all the other riches that may be wished for. Happy the man whom thou dost attend! do thou attend me, thou rich in all sorts of desirable things and strong!

8. Those men whom thou dost attend, O Ashi Vanguhi! have houses that stand well laid up, rich in cattle, foremost in Asha, and long-supported. Happy the man whom thou dost attend! Do thou attend me, thou rich in all sorts of desirable things and strong!

10. The men whom thou dost attend, O Ashi Vanguhi! have their ladies that sit on their beds, waiting for them: they lie on the cushions, adorning themselves, . . . . 3, with square bored ear-rings and a necklace of gold: 'When will our lord come? when shall we enjoy in our bodies the joys of love?'

11. The men whom thou dost attend, O Ashi Vanguhi! have daughters that sit . . . . 1; thin is their waist, beautiful is their body, long are their fingers; they are as fair of shape as those who look on can wish. Happy the man whom thou dost attend! Do thou attend me, thou rich in all sorts of desirable things and strong!

12. The men whom thou dost attend, O Ashi Vanguhi! have horses swift and loud-neighing; they drive the chariot lightly, they take it to the battle 2, they bear a gallant praiser (of the gods), who has many horses, a solid chariot, a sharp spear, a long spear, and swift arrows, who hits his aim, pursuing after his enemies, and smiting his foes. Happy the man whom thou dost attend! Do thou attend me, thou rich in all sorts of desirable things and strong!

16. Thy father is Ahura Mazda, the greatest of all gods, the best of all gods; thy mother is Ârmaiti Spenta; thy brothers are Sraosha 2, a god of Asha, and Rashnu 3, tall and strong, and Mithra 4, the lord of wide pastures, who has ten thousand spies and a thousand ears; thy sister is the Law of the worshippers of Mazda.

17. Praised of the gods, unoffended by the righteous 5, the great Ashi Vanguhi stood up on her chariot, thus speaking: 'Who art thou who dost invoke me, whose voice is to my ear the sweetest of all that invoked me most?'

18. And he 6 said aloud: 'I am Spitama Zarathustra, who, first of mortals, recited the praise of the excellent Asha 7 and offered up sacrifice unto Ahura Mazda and the Amesha-Spentas; in whose birth and growth the waters and the plants rejoiced; in whose birth and growth the waters and the plants grew; in whose birth and growth all the creatures of the good creation cried out, Hail 8!

have not been able to smite me down in spite of myself, and Zarathustra alone can reach me in spite of myself.

20. ' "He smites me with the Ahuna Vairya, as strong a weapon as a stone big as a house 1; he burns me with Asha-Vahista, as if it were melting brass 2. He makes it better for me that I should leave this earth, he, Spitama Zarathustra, the only one who can daunt me." '

Spitama Zarathustra came nearer unto her, he leant against her chariot.

22. And she caressed him with the left arm and the right, with the right arm and the left, thus speaking: 'Thou art beautiful, O Zarathustra! thou art well-shapen, O Spitama! strong are thy legs and long are thy arms: Glory is given to thy body and long cheerfulness 3 to thy soul, as sure as I proclaim it unto thee.'

III.

23 4. We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high, tall-formed, well worthy of sacrifice, with a loud-sounding chariot, strong, welfare-giving, healing, with fulness of intellect and powerful.

24 5. To her did Haoshyangha, the Paradhâta, offer up a sacrifice, upon the enclosure of the Hara, the beautiful height, made by Mazda,

me this, O great Ashi Vanguhi! that I may overcome all the Daêvas of Mâzana; that I may never fear and bow through terror before the Daêvas, but that all the Daêvas may fear and bow in spite of themselves before me, that they may fear and flee down to darkness.'

26. The great Ashi Vanguhi ran and came to his side: Haoshyangha, the Paradhâta, obtained that boon.

For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice . . . .

IV.

27. We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high . . and powerful.

28 1. To her did Yima Khshaêta, the good shepherd, offer up a sacrifice from the height Hukairya.

29. He begged of her a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O great Ashi Vanguhi! that I may bring fatness and flocks down to the world created by Mazda; that I may bring immortality down to the world created by Mazda;

30. 'That I may take away both hunger and thirst, from the world created by Mazda; that I may take away both old age and death, from the world created by Mazda; that I may take away both hot wind and cold wind, from the world created by Mazda, for a thousand years.'

31. The great Ashi Vanguhi ran and came to his side: Yima Khshaêta, the good shepherd, obtained that boon.

V.

32. We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high . . . . and powerful.

33 1. To her did Thraêtaona, the heir of the valiant Âthwya clan, offer up a sacrifice in the four-cornered Varena.

34. He begged of her a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O great Ashi Vanguhi! that I may overcome Azi Dahâka, the three-mouthed, the three-headed, the six-eyed, who has a thousand senses, that most powerful, fiendish Drug, that demon, baleful to the world, the strongest Drug that Angra Mainyu created against the material world, to destroy the world of the good principle; and that I may deliver his two wives, Savanghavâk and Erenavâk, who are the fairest of body amongst women, and the most wonderful creatures in the world.'

35. The great Ashi Vanguhi ran and came to his side. Thraêtaona, the heir of the valiant Âthwya clan, obtained that boon.

For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice . . . .

VI.

36. We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high . . . . and powerful.

37 2. To her did Haoma offer up a sacrifice, Haoma, the enlivening, the healing, the beautiful, the lordly, with golden eyes, upon the highest height of the Haraiti Bareza.

38. He begged of her a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O great Ashi Vanguhi! that I may bind the Turanian murderer, Franghrasyan, that I may drag him bound, that I may bring him bound unto king Husravah, that king Husravah may kill him, behind the Kaêkasta lake, the deep lake of salt waters, to avenge the murder of his father Syâvarshâna, a man, and of Aghraêratha, a semi-man.'

39. The great Ashi Vanguhi ran and came to his side. Haoma, the enlivening, the healing, the beautiful, the lordly, with golden eyes, obtained that boon.

For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice . . . .

VII.

40. We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high . . . and powerful.

41 1. To her did the gallant Husravah, he who united the Aryan nations into one kingdom, offer up a sacrifice, behind the Kaêkasta lake, the deep lake of salt waters.

42. He begged of her a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O great Ashi Vanguhi! that I may kill the Turanian murderer, Franghrasyan, behind the Kaêkasta lake, the deep lake of salt waters, to avenge the murder of my father Syâvarshâna, a man, and of Aghraêratha, a semi-man.'

43. The great Ashi Vanguhi ran and came to his side. The gallant Husravah, he who united the Aryan nations into one kingdom, obtained that boon.

For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard . . . .

VIII.

44. We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high . . . and powerful.

45 1. To her did the holy Zarathustra offer up a sacrifice in the Airyana Vaêgah, by the good river Dâitya, with the Haoma and meat, with the baresma, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy spells, with the speech, with the deeds, with the libations, and with the rightly-spoken words.

46. He begged of her a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O great Ashi Vanguhi! that I may bring the good and noble Hutaosa to think according to the law, to speak according to the law, to do according to the law, that she may spread my law and make it known, that she may bestow beautiful praises upon my deeds.'

47. The great Ashi Vanguhi ran and came to his side: the holy Zarathustra obtained that boon.

For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard . . . .

IX.

48. We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high . . . . and powerful.

49. To her did the tall Kavi Vîstâspa offer up a sacrifice behind the waters of the river Dâitya.

50. He begged of her a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O great Ashi Vanguhi! that I may put to flight Asta-aurvant, the son of Vîspô-thaurvô-asti, the all-afflicting, of the brazen helmet, of the brazen armour, of the thick neck, behind whom seven

hundred camels . . . .; that I may put to flight the Hvyaona murderer, Aregat-aspa; that I may put to flight Darsinika, the worshipper of the Daêvas;

51. 'And that I may smite Tãthravant of the bad law; that I may smite Spingauruska, the worshipper of the Daêvas; and that I may bring unto the good law the nations of the Varedhakas and of the Hvyaonas; and that I may smite of the Hvyaona nations their fifties and their hundreds, their hundreds and their thousands, their thousands and their tens of thousands, their tens of thousands and their myriads of myriads.'

52. The great Ashi Vanguhi ran and came to his side: the tall Kavi Vîstâspa obtained that boon.

For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard . . . .

X.

53. We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high . . . . and powerful.

54. And the great Ashi Vanguhi said: 'None of those libations will be accepted by me, which are sent to me either by a man whose seed is dried out 1, or by the courtezan who produces untimely issues 2, or by young boys, or by girls who have known no man 3.

'When the Turanians and the swift-horsed Naotaras 4, clapping their hands, ran after me,

55. 'I hid myself under the foot of a bull walking under his burden; then young boys, and girls who had known no man, discovered me, even while the Turanians and the swift-horsed Naotaras, clapping their hands, were running after me.

56. 'Even I hid myself under the throat of a ram of hundredfold energy: then again young boys, and girls who had known no man, discovered me, even while the Turanians and the swift-horsed Naotaras, clapping their hands, were running after me.'

57. The first wailing of the great Ashi Vanguhi is her wailing about the courtezan who destroys her fruit: 'Stand thou not near her, sit thou not on her bed!'—'What shall I do? Shall I go back to the heavens? Shall I sink into the earth?'

58. The second wailing of the great Ashi Vanguhi is her wailing about the courtezan who brings forth a child conceived of a stranger and presents it to her husband: 'What shall I do? Shall I go back to the heavens? Shall I sink into the earth?'

59. This is the third wailing of the great Ashi Vanguhi: 'This is the worst deed that men and tyrants do, namely, when they deprive maids, that have been barren for a long time, of marrying and bringing forth children. What shall I do? Shall I go back to the heavens? Shall I sink into the earth?'

60. Ahura Mazda answered: 'O fair and wise Ashi, go not back to the heavens, sink not into the

61. I shall worship thee with such a sacrifice, I shall worship and forward thee with such a sacrifice as Vîstâspa offered unto thee, behind the river Dâitya 1. The Zoatar lifted up a loud voice, with baresma before him. With that sort of sacrifice shall I worship thee? With that sort of sacrifice shall I worship and forward thee, O fair and wise Ashi?

For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard . . . .

62. Yathâ ahû vairyô: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness . . . .

I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigour of Ashi Vanguhi; of the good Kisti; of the good Erethe; of the good Rasãstât; of the Glory and Weal, made by Mazda 2.

271:1 The allies of Saoshyant, who are to be active in the restoration of the world to eternal life (frashô-kereti). Cf. p. 165, note 1. Ashi gives them the 'intelligence of life' (frasha khratu), through which they will be enabled to perform their task.

280:4 Cf. Yt. V, 98. The following clauses allude to some myth of Ashi Vanguhi connected with the conflict between the Turanians and the Naotaras (either Tusa and Vistauru; cf. p. 71, note 7, or more likely Vîstâspa himself, to whom the preceding chapter p. 281 [§§ 48-52] and the last but one clause of the Yast refer). She tried to flee in the way practised by Ulysses in the Cyclops’ cavern; both parties were pursuing the animal that bore her, though they knew not what it bore, till children discovered her.